Good Eats

If slaving and sweating over a hot grill in 100-plus degree heat falls under your definition of “labor,” there’s a different way to satisfy your cravings this Labor Day weekend — let someone do it for you at Phoenix Cooks.
Benefiting Phoenix Children’s Hospital, the 9th Annual event features classes, demonstrations, and of course, plenty to eat and drink. Executive chefs from an array of Valley resorts will show off techniques, while a marketplace offers an opportunity to sample from nearly 50 restaurants, including the Brat Haus and Blue Hound Kitchen and Cocktails.

Expect a host of beer-centric activities, sponsored by the Alaskan Brewing Company, from tasting to pairing, a class on how to make the perfect cheesecake, and courses lead by sommeliers of wine and olive oil alike.

Get cookin’ from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, August 31, at the Westin Kierland, 6902 East Greenway Parkway in Scottsdale. Tickets are $75, with a $15 discount for those really, really good friends of yours who decided to be the designated drivers. Call 602-374-6000 or visit www.phoenixcooks.com.